Can you dig it? Rock hounds dive into dirt for rare stones

1of8Aaron and Jessica Barker of Abilene dig through the remains of an old mining operation in Mason, looking for fluorite and topaz. The two were part of a expedition led by Frank Roberts of Baringer Hill Minerals.Photo: Photos by Joshua Trudell /For the Express-News

2of8Aaron and Jessica Barker of Abilene dig for fluorite and topaz at a site in Mason on June 14, 2015.Photo: Joshua Trudell / For the Express-News

3of8Angela Lands of San Antonio digs for fluorite and topaz during a geological expedition in Mason on June 14, 2015.Photo: Joshua Trudell / For the Express-News

4of8Roger Britton of Houston and his niece, Tori Lewis of Marion, Ohio, dig for fluorite, quartz and topaz at a site in Mason on June 14, 2015. Britton found a large chunk of strawberry quartz almost immediately after beginning to dig.Photo: Joshua Trudell / For the Express-News

5of8Alex Villanueva of Bandera looks over a piece of quartz he found during a dig in Mason on June 14, 2015.Photo: Joshua Trudell / For the Express-News

6of8Alex Villanueva of Bandera digs in the remains of an old mining operation in Mason. Villanueva and nearly 40 others were part of a geological expedition to the site on June 14, 2015.Photo: Joshua Trudell / For the Express-News

7of8Alex Villanueva of Bandera examines rocks on the ground during a geological expedition in Mason on June 14, 2015. Some examples of fluorite and quartz were visible on the surface.Photo: Joshua Trudell / For the Express-News

8of8John Grantham, 14, of Fort Hood, holds up a piece of strawberry quartz he found during a geological expedition in Mason in mid-June.Photo: Joshua Trudell /For the Express-News

MASON — Every little kid digs in the dirt.

For Angela Lands and other rock hounds like her, it’s what they found there that made a difference.

“I’ve been collecting rocks since I was little, not knowing what they were, just thinking they looked good,” Lands said while digging at a site here.

Eventually, she learned the types of different rocks, and this day she was searching for fluorite and quartz, two of the three most popular finds on the Llano Uplift.

For Texan amateur geologists, or rock hounds, the uplift is a bucket-list item. The uplift, a geologic granite dome under several counties in the Hill Country, is believed to be more than a billion years old, resulting in rocks rarely seen anywhere else in the state.

“Relatively speaking, this is the oldest rock in Texas,” said Paul Smith, an amateur geologist from Katy, adding that some areas near Alpine also have ancient rock. “A lot of the minerals we’re finding in here you can only find in really old rock.”

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Since much of Texas is private property, it is smarter to go with a group and always get permission before you start digging.

Around San Antonio, there is the Southwest Gem and Mineral Society — swgemandmineral.org — and South Texas Geologic Society — stgs.org.

There is also a Meetup group called Texas Rockers — meetup.com/Texas-Rockers — which is partially sponsored by Baringer Hill Minerals.

Joshua Trudell

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That includes topaz, the Texas state gem, which is only found in Mason County.

Frank Roberts, who operates geologic expeditions onto private properties in Mason, said the advantage of searching on the uplift is that topaz grows there, so clear, pure crystals can be found. Many people find topaz after it is washed into a creekbed, which means it has been worn and tarnished.

But that’s far from the only interesting rock that can be discovered on the uplift. Exploring one site where he regularly brings expeditions, Roberts said the three most likely finds were fluorite, quartz and topaz, in that order.

Fluorite and quartz were visible on the ground walking around the site. Small pieces could be found without digging. Topaz, however, is heavier, and is generally deeper in the earth.

While many search for topaz, Roberts said his holy grail is a rare variety of fluorite that he first found about a year ago that changed from green to violet under different lighting.

“It’s pretty amazing,” he said. “That or a topaz the size of a soup can would be nice.”

To find prime pieces, however, one must dig. It doesn’t take high-end tools — most people seen digging during this recent Sunday expedition were using tools found in any garage.

“The rule here is to dig,” Roberts said, “You’ll find stuff on the surface, but it’s been exposed to the weather so its kind of nasty. Within a foot of the surface, you’re going to find some huge pieces.”

Roberts suggested a stout 2- or 3-foot garden shovel, a bucket, a trowel and some small tines as good beginners tools.

Smith said he was hunting for the big brother to a large pointed piece of strawberry quartz he found the last time he was digging in Mason.

“I’m just going to go around in circles with a plastic trowel — this is a slow man’s game,” Smith said.

While some people have particulars they are looking for, many just dig for fun.

“I didn’t even know what I was looking for when I first stared, until I saw that green,” said Alex Villanueva, a Bandera resident who was searching for green fluorite.

“I’m fascinated by the layers,” he added, talking about the strata visible from cuts in the earth. “Whenever I see a cut, you see the layers and you think about what was happening during that time.”

Roberts said finding places to dig has been a challenge. With as much as 95 percent of the land in Texas privately owned, it can be difficult to come across landowners willing to allow digging.

“That’s the hard part,” he said. “People have been on their property for 150 years, and they don’t want you setting foot on it. They think you’re stealing something from them. If you go digging just anywhere, you’ll get yourself shot.”